Ten Men Buckeyes Earn Last Gasp Tie With Akron

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The No. 1 University of Akron men's soccer team played No. 19 Ohio State to a 2-2 tie Wednesday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Field in front of a record-setting crowd of 7,255 fans.

The Zips (6-0-1) led 2-1 after what seemed to be a game-winner by true freshman Darren Mattocks in the 68th minute, but the Buckeyes (5-2-2) scored a short-handed goal with three seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. During a scramble in front of the net, Matt Gold crossed the ball to David Tiemstra, who scored the equalizer for OSU.

"In some ways, when you haven't tasted anything but wins, when things have maybe come easy, you feel like you are invincible," said Ua head coach Caleb Porter. "Certainly in this sport, no one is invincible. Maybe we needed to feel a little bit vulnerable because we were vulnerable today. In the long run, this is going to help us."

The Zips, who had the chance to set an NCAA record Wednesday night, saw their consecutive scoreless game streak come to a close in the first half.

The Buckeyes, who didn't have a lot of scoring opportunities in the first 45 minutes, made the most of one in the 30th when Chris Hegngi gobbled up a loose ball in the box and found Austin McAnena, who fired far back post to give OSU a 1-0 lead.

The goal was the first allowed by UA all season and snapped a string of 1,140 scoreless minutes. Akron entered the game with 11 consecutive shutouts, dating back to the 2009 season, which matched an NCAA record shared by Furman (2002) and Virginia (2009).

Michael Nanchoff netted the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 38th minute and Mattocks put Akron ahead 2-1 in the 68th with what seemed to be the game-winner. But despite being a man short after Konrad Warzycha drew a red card in the 52nd minute, Ohio State didn't let up got scored the improbable game-tying goal on a frantic scrum in front of the net.

The teams felt each other out in the game's opening minutes but the Zips quickly began to lock the Buckeyes into their third of the field with four shots on goal and five corner kicks in the opening period.

UA had a couple of prime scoring opportunities in the 17th and 18th minute.

Darlington Nagbe initiated the first sequence with a run through the middle of the Ohio State defense and passed the ball off to Mattocks. Mattocks then left the ball for Kofi Sarkodie, who fired a shot from 10 yards out that was deflected nicely by OSU keeper Matt Lampson and out of bounds.

Akron then appeared to take an early lead in the next minute when Scott Caldwell lobbed the ball into Nagbe, who banged a shot off the crossbar and into the left-hand corner of the net. The goal was negated, however, due to an off-sides call.

After OSU took a brief 1-0 lead, the Zips drew even in the 38th minute after Nagbe was brought down from close range.

The Zips came out firing to start the second half with four shots, three on goal, in the first five minutes and continued to control the ball for much of the game. Akron out-shot OSU 25-16 for the game and held an 8-1 advantage on corner kicks.